


The Mysterious Disappearance of Ryan Bergara

by Steeella



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Watcher Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, M/M, OR IS IT, Pining, Possibly Unrequited Love, Rather a lot of angst, Shane Madej Loves Ryan Bergara, Tags May Change, Unreliable Narrator, VERY UNRELIABLE NARRATOR, no beta we die like men, nothing is what it seems, read to find out ;) - Freeform, ryan has disappeared, shane decides to look for him, shanes going through some shit okay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24005638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steeella/pseuds/Steeella
Summary: ''It's not on me to- to look into your disappearance, though, right? I can just-''''... I would hope you would.''''I'm not qualified.''''I'd look into yours.''It always did seem like Shane would be the one to go missing in mysterious circumstances. He had that kind of vibe about him. Unfortunately, life is unpredictable.
Relationships: Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 89
Kudos: 149





	1. 4 DAYS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is no way related to the canon disappearance of Ryan Bergara, I wrote it before all of that 😂  
> In the same way, this is a work of fiction and to be in no way affiliated with the real Shane and Ryan, or to cause offence to their real life partners.   
> Anyway, enjoy :)

Ryan Bergara had last been seen three days ago.

At first, it was ignorable. Easy to shake off. Sickness. Just a cough, Shane thought. Maybe he dropped his phone somewhere, and wasn't answering. Everything is fine. Of course it was. 

Bad things didn't happen to such good people.

Steven was first to point it out, the morning of the third day where Ryan was no-where to be seen.

''Does anyone actually know where Ryan is?''

And Shane's breath had caught in his throat, because he had been worried. So worried. 

''I haven't seen him, Steven. No-one's heard from him. His parents haven't seen him. Jake is worried. He's not answering any of our calls.'' he tried to hide the tremble in his voice. ''He's probably okay, right?''

Steven smiled nervously. ''Yeah. Yeah. Of course.''

They filmed the episode of Watcher Weekly together, telling the camera that Ryan was sick. They didn't want anyone to freak out. And anyway, that's what had happened. Ryan was just sick. He's broken his phone and can't respond. Steven and Shane were on edge the entire episode, something that people picked up on in the comments.

''Shane can barely function without his ghoulfriend!'' 

He hated to admit that it was a little closer to the truth than he would have preferred.

It was day four when things were starting to look bad. Ryan's parents called Shane, asking if they'd heard from him, and it hurt when he had to tell them he had not.

Shane decided to go and see him. Ryan had given him a pair of keys to him apartment ages ago.

''In case I get locked out, you know,'' he'd said. ''You know how I have a tendency to lose them,'' and Shane did know, because he knew Ryan better than he knew himself.

Ryan's apartment, somewhere that had once felt happy, was cold. Ryan wasn't there to make Shane laugh as he paced through the rooms, heart beating wildly, terrified of what he might find.

''Ryan?''

He climbed the stairs, calling his name, tentative at first, until he was shouting it. 

''RYAN?''

He was met with no reply.

The door to Ryan's bedroom creaked open with a sense of foreboding. His bed was unslept in, and the room was perfectly untouched, the same posters hung on the wall and his katana still rested next to the bed. 

''At least he's not gone on a killing spree,'' Shane chuckled to himself. Ryan's guitar, infamous amongst fans, was beginning to gather a layer of dust. 

It was so quiet and empty, and yet there was a horrible feeling of menace. Something had happened.

Shane ran his hand along the line of sneakers that Ryan stacked so meticulously in their pride and place. He stopped. The boots they wore when they were on the Supernatural episodes were gone. That must mean he was wearing them right now.

Ryan's phone was downstairs on the kitchen counter. Shane picked it up, and there were 45 missed calls, and 200+ new notifications. Shane saw that the earliest one dated back to 5 days ago.

Sunday.

What happened on Sunday? Shane wracked his brain. They had gone to see a film, right? That's what they did on Sundays. It had been fun. It was always fun. Ryan had the talent of making everyone smile, even when they didn't mean to. He radiated happiness like sunshine. It was infectious.

Shane couldn't remember anything strange happening. It had been like it always was, they laughed and joked and stuffed their faces with popcorn and then after the film Shane had nearly said something he shouldn't, something irreversible. 

Something he nearly said quite a lot. 

It was more than a something. It was a lot of somethings. It would take him years to explain it, as it had taken years for him to notice, for it had taken years to build up and grow stronger. But he could narrow it down to three words. Three little words that would change their friendship, either for infinitely better, or horribly worse. 

These days, there had been lots of moments like that. His mutual split with Sara a few months ago had been difficult, because even though they were still friends, it created a new hole in his heart where someone usually was. Ryan was the reason he kept going, because Ryan was his anchor in his chest, keeping him grounded.

People often thought that Shane was the calm, reassuring one in their friendship, because of what they saw in the Supernatural episodes. In reality it tended to be Shane who called Ryan up first thing in the morning, because he hadn' t slept, or when he was feeling stressed during the day, and then last thing at night before he went to bed.  
Shane fell asleep very easily, and sometimes he would drift off while Ryan was still talking, because his night-softened voice was so soothing. Ryan wouldn't realise Shane was asleep until he heard his snores on the other side.

So now, to see Ryan's apartment empty from the most special thing about it, was so unsettling to Shane it made him feel sick. Ryan often said he liked keeping his apartment fairly bare, sans the odd movie poster here and there. These things were mere brushstrokes on the canvas painting that was Ryan Bergara.

It would have been fine, if there was an answer. He was on holiday, he was visiting his parents, he was sick. But along with no Ryan, there was no evidence or proof, or explanation.

Four of the things Shane loved most.

The drive home was almost unbearable. New thoughts, terrible thoughts, swarmed in his head as he drove through the streets.

He's dead. He's dead and he died before you could tell him how you felt.

Shane envied the people that walked through Los Angeles without the heavy weight of worry and regret dragging them down. At the same time, he was angry. Ryan was missing. This was serious, momentous and terrible. They should be as anxious as he was. The world should have stopped spinning.

When he arrived home, the first thing Shane did was pick up his phone.

''Mrs Bergara?'' Shane tried not to shake too much. ''Ryan's not in his apartment.''

There was a silence on the other end of the phone.

''I don't know where he is.''


	2. 10 DAYS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shane does not have a very good time coping with things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to say, this chapter becomes very chaotic in the way it is written, so go into it with that in mind...  
> Also, I am continuing this story, I had a couple of people asking, there was just a mix up where I'd put it was completed. I am starting to put in hints of what will undoubtedly become a needlessly convoluted storyline.

It was now a problem. It was a big fucking problem.

Shane thought he would go down to the police station the next day, and report Ryan missing. To say the words out loud made them real, and Shane had to refrain from breaking down in the middle of the station.

''And what is your relationship to Mr Bergara?'' that was what they would probably ask.

Shane would blink, and his mouth would move wordlessly, before he found his voice. ''I'm his friend. His best friend.''

The friendly-looking woman on the other side of the desk would smile sadly. ''You know, most people come back within 24 hours. Nearly all of them come back within three days. I'm sure your friend will be fine.''

Shane would nodd shakily, and help her fill out the rest of the report. His handwriting was scribbly because of his trembling hand.

He imagined when the newspapers and tabloids got wind of Ryan's disappearance, they would find it very funny.

''UNSOLVED MYSTERY INVESTIGATOR BECOMES AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY.''

If it had been a detail in one of the cases they looked at on the show, Shane would have found it hilarious. He remembered the Sodder Children Case, when he remarked that a private detective going missing was like a fish drowning. 

Shane felt like he was drowning. He stopped going to work, and Watcher had to announce they were stopping until Ryan was found. They couldn't do it without him, any way. 

It was obvious that the fandom would blow up as soon as the news was broadcasted. Worried fans, condolence messages, questions, posts and of course, conspiracy theories would swarm the internet, and the Buzzfeed Unsolved hashtag would be trending on most social media platforms.

Although Shane couldn't bear to look at any of them, he knew that was what they would be doing. It would be too much of a painful reminder, despite the well-meaning intent.

He couldn't quite bring himself to call Mari, either, although he knew she would be suffering too. Shane sequestered himself in a den of misery and despair, and fell further and further away. Sometimes, he started to forget what Ryan's face looked like, and he would force himself to watch old episodes, or scroll through his Instagram, or his camera roll. He refused to let himself forget Ryan. He would never forget him, even if he was never found. 

The Detective in charge of the case, Detective Pamela Marzenie, seemed like she knew what she was doing. The problem was that so did whoever had caused Ryan's disappearance. If he had run away, he was doing a good job of making sure it stayed that way. There were no leads or clues.

Shane was questioned at his home, because it was routine, but Shane couldn't provide any information that was useful. 

Shane called Marzenie every day to ask if there were any new leads, or any new anything. That was what he did. He woke up, fed Obi, cleaned his litter, then ate whatever he had in the house. Then he lay in bed and did nothing, before lunch, where he ate whatever he had, called Marzenie, fed Obi and then lay in bed and did nothing, before dinner, where he ate whatever he had, fed Obi and then went to sleep. Then he woke up, fed Obi, cleaned his litter, then ate whatever he had in the house. Then he lay in bed and did nothing, before lunch, where he ate whatever he had, called Marzenie, fed Obi and then lay in bed and did nothing, before dinner, where he ate whatever he had, fed Obi and then went to sleep. Then he woke up, fed Obi, cleaned his litter, then ate whatever he had in the house. Then he lay in bed and did nothing, before lunch, where he ate whatever he had, called Marzenie, fed Obi and then lay in bed and did nothing, before dinner, where he ate whatever he had, fed Obi and then went to sleep. 

It wasn't long before he started to lose his mind.

He waited three days, and then three weeks, and then three months. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad.

He didn't leave him apartment exept to buy essentials. Nobody came to check if he was okay.

It felt like six months after Ryan had first been pronounced missing when Marzenie called. Shane pounced on his phone and answered immediately. He had been staring at the ceiling for the past hour.

''Shane, I've just been on the phone to Mr and Mrs Bergara. Because of our lack of leads and evidence, we have to drop the case. It will remain open to anyone who comes forward with clues, but we're not going to persue it actively. I hope you understand. We tried the best we could.''

The phone slipped through Shane's fingertips. He could hear Marzenie's voice muffled against the carpet. The tiniest sliver of hope he had, was gone. He felt like he was crumbling. Falling apart. Falling. Falling.

Falling.

''Shane? Are you there?''

Shane stood up, picked up his phone, and hurled it against the wall. The front of the screen smashed, but it stayed on. Shane brought his heel down on it, and felt it splinter under his foot.

Without pausing, he ran over to the door and grabbed his coat and wallet, before dashing out the apartment. 

He left the door still ajar.


	3. 16 DAYS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this isn't really a chapter of sorts, but it's a song I found that is really like this story. Kind of imagine it's Shane's thoughts right now.  
> I promise I will update with a proper chapter sometime soon!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nobody Knows by Gabriel Templar

Nobody Knows the way you make me feel

Well that's alright, it's no big deal

I miss the times that we shared together

Where did you go? Nobody Knows

Do you ever think about

The way it used to be

When we were hanging out together

With the music on repeat?

I miss the days

When it was hard to say goodbye

But then you ran away forever

And you never told me why

And I just wanna talk

Because you know I can't resist

I question why I bother

When you pretend you don't exist

And You've been gone for so long

Now this is all I have

It's you and me laughing

But inside a photograph

Nobody Knows the way you make me feel

Well that's alright, it's no big deal

I miss the times that we shared together

Where did you go? Nobody Knows

How can I reach you?

How can I find you?

How do I know if somebody's beside you?

Give me a call at the end of the day, just

Let me know you're ok

I miss you so much

But you'd never understand

Every time I try to write a song

You're always in my mind

'Cause I miss your laugh

And the smile on your lips

And the way that you talk

And the way that you kiss

And then every time we left the house at night

You'd always hold me by your side

You'd look at my eyes

And say how much you love me too

But now I'm sending letters

Never knowing if they get to you

Nobody Knows the way you make me feel

Well that's alright, it's no big deal

I miss the times that we shared together

Where did you go? Nobody Knows

Nobody knows, Nobody knows, Nobody knows, Nobody knows but.

Nobody knows, Nobody knows, Nobody knows, Nobody knows

Nobody Knows the way you make me feel

Well that's alright, it's no big deal

I miss the times that we shared together

Where did you go? Nobody Knows


	4. 17 DAYS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry these chapters are so short ;-;

Shane didn't know where he was going as he ran. Rash decisions had the habit of slapping back at you when you stumbled into reality. He ran with the urgency of unknowing, questions wanting answered moving his legs and driving his feet.

He didn't know where he would begin looking. He didn't know how he would begin looking. The only thing in his mind as he ran, footsteps thundering on the pavement was Ryan's name, over and over again like a mantra.

Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan.

Past streets he ran, roads and houses blurring into each other. He was running reliant on muscle memory, because he knew the city well. But muscle memory took him back to the place that would normally bring him joy. 

He came to a skeetering halt outside Ryan's old apartment. 

Shane couldn't bear himself to go any nearer. He suspected the police would have cleared it all, or trampled over everything important. It was now a cemetery of Ryan's past life, and looking for Ryan inside would be as fruitless as their ghost-hunting expeditions.

''Are you alright, son?''

Shane whipped around. An elderly man was standing behind him, wearing a look of concern. He looked like a very stereotypical old man, and his watery narrowed eyes made Shane realize he must have a very bedraggled and lost appearance. 

''Yes... Yes I'm fine, thank you.''

The man smiled. ''You look a bit... untethered.'' Untethered. That was a good word for it. ''Are you looking for something?''

''I'm looking for my friend,'' Shane said after a pause. ''Ryan Bergara? He went missing six months ago.''

The man narrowed his eyes. ''Ryan Bergara? I haven't heard of him.''

That was odd. Shane imagined his disappearance had been all over the news. Surely everyone in L.A. would know his name? Shane thought that the posters with Ryan's name and face emblazoned across them were still pinned to walls and trees. Not that he could bring himself to look at them.

''Well, thank you anyway,'' Shane smiled, and turned away from the man. ''Have a nice day,''

He started walking again, slower, with his head bent. He watched his shoes, one in front of the other. The boots he wore on investigations.  
It seemed fitting.

A drop of rain fell from the sky and rolled down Shane's cheek. He looked up. It had started to rain. 

It only rained once in every 10 days in L.A. When it did, it was soft and hesitant. 

''If you're going to rain, do it properly,'' Shane muttered to the sky. ''This is just... half-hearted spittle!''

As if on cue, there was a huge bellow of thunder. The rain increased, as if spurred on by Shane's words. 

Shane took a few more steps, boots squelching in the puddles. Then he collapsed onto a bench behind him and put his face in his hands and began to cry.

''What do I do?'' he asked in a whisper. There was no Ryan to answer him, to nudge him, to tell him things would be okay, even just to make a silly joke, to make him chuckle. 

Ryan was his other part. He was nothing without him. Shane felt like there was a part of his heart missing, that had disappeared along with Ryan. He had liked to joke that Shane had no emotions. What he didn't know was that Shane had to shut them out because of Ryan. He had pushed down the love, the searing, inexplicable, gut wrenching love for his best friend, because he knew it was too dangerous. 

Shane could see through the gaps between his fingers the umbrellas dancing past in the rain, the people marching past with their heads bent. The world swirled around him, a blur of hurrying figures desperate to escape the downpour. Shane was unmoving apart from the sobs that wracked his body. He looked up, to the clouds, and rain poured down his face and mixed with his tears. Lightning tore across the sky. The dazzling, spider-webbed crack across the blue made Shane jump. It looked like a jagged, broken mirror.

Seven years of bad luck. Shane chuckled darkly. 

He was lost, so lost. 

Then it hit him. What would Ryan do? Ryan had spent four years of his life looking for something that he didn't even know existed, for sure. Ryan was persistent. Ryan wouldn't give up. Ryan didn't cry when the spirit box garbled nonsense, or when no undead souls spoke to them. Ryan laughed, and he kept going. Ryan was determined, and it was one of the many, many things that Shane loved so much about him.

Wiping his eyes on his sleeve, Shane stood up. He had to keep looking, because Ryan would want to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please ignore my rather pathetic use of pathetic fallacy)


	5. 21 DAYS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update :0  
> First of all, thank you so much for all your lovely comments! They really make me so happy every time I read them, and have really encouraged me to write more :D  
> Second of all, if you are keeping up with Watcher socials, you will notice this fic has not aged well lmao. I thought I would finish this chapter and upload it to reveal what has happened to Ryan (sort of) the same day that Watcher does.  
> Edit: okay so they've named the watcher weekly episode with exactly the same name as this fic lmao 😂  
> Hope you enjoy :)

The dwindling sunlight beamed through the damp green canopy above Shane's head as he squelched through the mud. The rain hadn't stopped, and it was gentle but unrelenting. It wasn’t long before Shane’s hair was plastered to his forehead. 

Shane pulled his coat tighter over him. He didn't know where he was. The last thing he remembered seeing was a sign indicating the entrance to Angeles National Forest, and then just trees. 

He was starving, too. He had a flask of water but he couldnt remember the last time he'd eaten a proper meal that wasn't something he'd found in the forest.

Just trees. Trees for as far as he could see. Green, sprawling land, and rocky terrain. He was cold. He was hungry. It was getting dark, and he was scared by what might happen in the night time. He remembered mocking Ryan for being scared of bears, but all the humor had died away now it was all he could think of.

''What was it he said?'' Shane asked aloud. ''24,000 black bears in California?'' he shuddered. Maybe with a little bit of luck, he wouldn't have to run into one. He hadn't had very much luck recently. Just a little bit to tide him over.

Around him, plants seemed to bow their heads against the rain and shuffle awkwardly with the wind. The breeze seemed to whisper as he passed through the trees; that soft, eerie sensation that only nature can produce. It gave him the impression he was being watched, or that he had done something scandalous and the sycamore seeds and snowdrops were gossiping behind his back. 

Shane's spirits darkened along with the sky. Within a few hours of fretful walking, it was pitch black, and Shane realized he would have to try and sleep.

He lay down on a patch of mossy rock that looked relatively comfortable. It wasn't, but it was the best he could do.

As he closed his eyes, he tried to remember Ryan's face. It had begun to slip through his memory like water from his hands, and now he didn't have his phone to look up a picture. 

He knew then that he had to find him, because he couldn't forget Ryan Bergara. 

A helicopter flew noisily over his head and he pulled his jacket over his ears. The ground was wet and cold, making the moss slimy and uncomfortable. 

He tossed and turned for what felt like hours. At some point in the night, the rain stopped, and the cold wind was left to sting Shane's face and send a chill through his jacket. 

Bright lights kept passing near his face, but he thought they must be from planes.

To his left, Shane thought he heard the call of voices, but he must have been imagining it. He'd been hearing voices a lot recently. 

He slipped into a distressed sleep, where Ryan chased him through deserts in a helicopter, but he had no face, and then Ryan caught up with him and his face suddenly morphed into Lightning McQueen. Then they fell through a hole, and they were falling, and Ryan turned back into himself and he was trying to reach for Shane's hand but they kept slipping away-

There was a sudden torrent of voices through the trees. Dazzling spotlights illuminated his face and he lifted his arms to shield his eyes.

He heard a shout.

''OVER HERE!''

Out of the darkness, a stampede of footsteps and torches thundered through. Leading the group, flashlight bared in his hand, face set with determination and nerves...  
was Ryan.

Shane scrambled to his feet, trembling.

''RYAN!''

''SHANE!''

All the waiting, all the anticipation, all the longing, all the misery and fear and anxiety fell away.

Shane sprinted forward, his heart thumping terribly. Ryan's eyes widened, he threw the flashlight to the ground and barrelled into Shane's arms.

They stayed like that for a long time. Ryan gripped him so tight it was if he thought he was going to blow away. Shane buried his face into Ryan's hair and sobbed openly, throat tight and raw with emotion. They forgot the rest of the world, which seemed to slip away into oblivion. Shane felt the all-consuming, gut-wrenching power of his love for the little man he had clutched in his arms, who he thought he had lost forever. Relief cascaded over him in waves. He felt the hole in his heart, which had cried for Ryan, now said home.

After an eternity, they broke apart.

''I - I - Shane, I...'' Ryan looked lost for words. His feelings appeared to have transcended language. He clutched at Shane's jacket as if Shane was going to disappear. 

Shane took Ryan's face in his hands and gently wiped the tears from his face with his thumb. He marveled at how Ryan was real, how he was in front of him, in the flesh. He almost didn't believe it. ''I thought I'd lost you.'' Shane felt tears running down his own face, but he ignored them. ''I thought I'd lost you.''

To his surprise, Ryan furrowed his brow in confusion.

''You thought you'd lost me?'' he asked, rubbing his eyes.

It was Shane's turn to frown. ''Yes...?''

There was a pause, while the only sound was the shuffling of the rest of the search party, who were obviously feeling a little awkward.

''Shane...'' Ryan said slowly. ''You've been missing for three weeks.''

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -plot twist-  
> I promise I will explain everything in the next chapter! In the meantime, if you read over earlier chapters you may notice some clues I've hidden or some inconsistencies that seem like mistakes that are actually there for a reason!  
> Hope you are all staying safe during these times. Remember that all our voices are powerful :)


	6. An explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little explanation of the last chapters for you :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say thank you again for all your comments! The feedback is really motivating, and it really makes my day :')

_ These  _ _ d _ _ ays, there had been lots of moments like that. His mutual split with Sara a few months ago had been difficult, because even though they were still friends, it created a new hole in his heart where someone usually was. Ryan was the reason he kept going, because Ryan was his anchor in his chest, keeping him grounded. _

He was not doing okay. Ryan was the only thing keeping him sane.

_ '' _ _ Mrs _ _ Bergara?'' S _ _ hane _ _ tried not to shake too much. ''Ryan's not in his apartment.'' _

_ There was a silence on the other end of the phone. _

_ ''I don't know where he is.'' _

That didn’t mean he was in danger.

_ Shane thought he would go down to the police station the next day, and report Ryan missing. To say the words out loud made them real, and Shane had to refrain from breaking down in the middle of the station. _

_ ''And what is your relationship to  _ _ Mr. _ _ Bergara?'' that was what they would probably ask. _

_ Shane would blink, and his mouth would  _ _ move _ _ wordlessly, before he found his voice. ''I'm his friend. His best friend.'' _

_ The friendly-looking woman on the other side of the desk would smile sadly. ''You know, most people come back within 24 hours. Nearly all of them come back within three days. I'm sure your friend will be fine.'' _

He didn’t  actually go to the police station. The interaction was in his head.

_ It was obvious that the fandom would blow up as soon as the news was broadcasted. Worried fans, condolence messages, questions, posts and of course, conspiracy theories would swarm the internet, and the Buzzfeed Unsolved hashtag would be trending on most social media platforms. _

_ Although Shane couldn't bear to look at any of them, he knew that was what they would be doing. It would be too much of a painful reminder, despite the well-meaning intent. _

Shane didn’t  actually check social media to check this. He was just imagining what would be happening.

_ He couldn't quite bring himself to call Mari, either, although he knew she would be suffering too. Shane sequestered himself in a den of misery and  _ _ despair and _ _ fell further and further away. Sometimes, he started to forget what Ryan's face looked like, and he would force himself to watch old episodes, or scroll through his Instagram, or his camera roll. He refused to let himself forget Ryan. He would never forget him, even if he was never found. _

He didn’t call Mari. He had no proof.

_ The Detective in charge of the case, Detective Pamela Marzenie, seemed like she knew what she was doing. The problem was that so did whoever had caused Ryan's  _ _ disappearance. If he had run away, he was doing a good job of making sure it stayed that way. There were no leads or clues. _

Marzienie – Polish for dream.

_ It wasn't long before he started to lose his mind. _

What if it was already lost?

_ He waited three days, and then three weeks, and then three months. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. He felt like he was going mad. _

He isn’t okay.

_ He didn't leave him apartment  _ _ except _ _ to buy essentials. Nobody came to check if he was okay. _

_ It felt like six months after Ryan had first been pronounced missing when Marzenie called. Shane pounced on his phone and answered immediately. He had been staring at the ceiling for the past hour. _

It wasn’t six months. It felt like six months. 

_ ''Shane, I've just been on the phone to  _ _ Mr _ _ and  _ _ Mrs _ _ Bergara. Because of our lack of leads and evidence, we have to drop the case. It will remain open to anyone who comes forward with clues, but we're not going to  _ _ pursue _ _ it actively. I hope you understand. We tried the best we could.'' _

_ Too soon for them to close the case. _

_ ''I'm looking for my friend,'' Shane said after a pause. ''Ryan Bergara? He went missing six months ago.'' _

_ The man narrowed his eyes. ''Ryan Bergara? I haven't heard of him.'' _

_ That was odd. Shane imagined his disappearance had been all over the news. Surely everyone in L.A. would know his name? Shane thought that the posters with Ryan's name and face emblazoned across them were still pinned to walls and trees. Not that he could bring himself to look at them. _

He imagined it would be all over the news. It hasn’t been over the news. He couldn’t bring himself to look at them because they  weren't there.

_ He was starving, too. He had a flask of water, but he couldn’t remember the last time he'd eaten a proper meal that wasn't something he'd found in the forest. _

It sounds like he’s been there longer than he’s telling us.

It seems like there’s been a lot Shane hasn’t been telling us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this makes some resemblance of sense...
> 
> If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This fic is inspired by the end of The Mysterious Death of the Somerton Man, as you can probably tell from the summary. I've had fun writing this so far, but comments and kudos are always great motivation for writing more ;)
> 
> Maybe see you on Tumblr? @shyanbergej


End file.
